Author: Dose

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Stéphane Leroux : “Lane Hutson is better than P.K. Subban”

Lane Hutson is currently in the second-to-last season of his entry-level contract in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Habs have time to negotiate with him before reaching an agreement on his new contract.

Thanks to his performances this season, Hutson could already be in a position to receive one of the most lucrative contracts in the history of the Canadiens.

The record belongs to Carey Price with his annual average of $10.5 million, but the bar to be exceeded among defenders is that of P.K. Subban at $9 million per season.

Passing through 98.5 Sports on Monday evening, Stéphane Leroux clearly explained that Lane Hutson is already better than P.K. Subban.

If Lane Hutson is already better than Subban after less than one season in the NHL, it’s clear that he will have a better salary than the latter!

Subban has always been recognized as a great offensive defenseman, but his highest total of points in a season is 60. In his rookie season, Hutson currently has 59 points with nine games still to play.

Leroux prefers Hutson because his popularity is earned through his performance on the ice and by remaining humble.

For now, Leroux believes Hutson could earn between $9 million and $10 million.

Except that it’s if his agent agrees to sign a long-term eight-year agreement. It’s still possible that the Hutson clan decides to wait and sign a bridge contract to take advantage of a better salary cap later.

We must understand that Hutson, before Monday’s games, is the fourth-highest scoring defenseman in the NHL. The only other defensemen with more points than him this season are Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, and Quinn Hughes.

Let’s say he’s in very good company.

Lane Hutson has nine games left to conclude his season in style and maybe more if the Canadiens make the playoffs. If the Canadiens’ defenseman lays hands on the Calder Trophy, it would be surprising to see Kent Hughes give him a contract worth less than $9 million per season.

Overtime

– A tough decision.

– Michkov continues his good work.

– Roy demands a lot from his veterans.

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Kristopher Letang: people who criticize Lane Hutson are “jealous”

The race for the Calder Trophy is nearing its end and Lane Hutson is trying to solidify his position as the favorite to win the rookie of the year award in the National Hockey League (NHL).

For fans of the Habs who see him play every game, the answer is clear: Hutson should win the Calder Trophy. However, fans elsewhere in the NHL do not agree with this statement, often launching criticism at Lane Hutson.

On the TVA Sports show JiC on Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins veteran defenseman Kristopher Letang took the time to set the record straight.

According to him, people who criticize Lane Hutson’s work in the NHL are simply “jealous).

Letang took the time to talk about Hutson’s development. The Habs defenseman has not even played 100 games in the NHL yet and is already receiving criticism from all over.

What Letang wanted to point out was that Hutson’s defensive work will improve, even if it’s not bad at the moment.

The Penguins defenseman did not comment on his choice for the Calder Trophy, but it can be imagined that he has a little idea in mind when he says he finds Hutson “amazing.”

Many people on Twitter/X call Lane Hutson a specialist in secondary passes. That’s all they can find to try to disparage the Habs rookie.

For now, Hutson has 24 primary assists and 30 secondary assists. Just by looking at the statistics, people start pointing that out.

The problem is that Hutson is able to create plays that will lead to goals and he will only get a secondary assist or no points. This goal is the best example.

And meanwhile, Matvei Michkov has 18 primary assists and Macklin Celebrini has 16.

That’s without forgetting that Hutson is six passes away from tying the record for most assists by a rookie defenseman in NHL history.

Fans of opposing teams can say what they want, but as Letang explained, people who criticize Hutson are “jealous.”

Overtime

– It’s starting well, but there’s still work to be done.

– Former Hab is on fire.

– Tavares has increased his contract value with his performances this season.

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Michael Hage wants to gain muscle this summer

Michael Hage’s season in the NCAA is over and it’s now time for him to take stock.

Last week, we explained that he would like to improve his work in the face-off circle, but that’s not the only aspect he wants to work on.

The first-round pick of the Canadiens in 2024 wants to add a few pounds to his frame and improve his physical game. This is what he revealed in an interview with Marco D’Amico of RG.org.

Improving his efficiency in the face-off circle is something that can be done better in practice with teammates or during games. Getting into the best shape of his life and adding muscle can be done more easily during the summer in a gym.

According to him, being physically stronger will help him become a better two-way center.

Hage has received advice and help from the Canadiens organization to refine his game. Rob Ramage came to watch a few of his games to give him advice, and Adam Nicholas sent him many videos of his performances, telling him what to improve.

The Canadiens prospect is happy to receive this kind of attention to improve.

As for his future in the NHL, Hage would like to remain a center. He admires Nick Suzuki’s work and would even like to learn from his accomplishments. With the Canadiens looking for a number two center for the future, they would certainly like Hage’s wish to come true.

In any case, Hage seems to have understood his future role with the Canadiens. He even stated that it’s with a center like Suzuki that a team can aspire to great honors.

It sounds like a guy who would be very comfortable being a number two center in Montreal!

Hage also took the time to talk about his future teammate Ivan Demidov. He didn’t talk to him for long, but he thinks the Russian prospect of the Habs is a good person and very funny.

Michael Hage has all summer to improve physically, and he will be able to take advantage of another season in the NCAA to perfect his game. By taking a step forward in his development, he could help his team go far in the playoffs and get important games to play.

Overtime

– Hutson never rests.

– Hockey is growing in Utah.

– It would be a crazy story.

– Landeskog continues his rehabilitation.

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An $11 billion agreement between Rogers and the NHL for television rights in Canada

According to information reported by Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, Rogers has agreed with the NHL on the terms of a new 12-year contract for television rights in Canada.

The total amount of the agreement would be $11 billion CAD, or $7.7 billion USD.

This amount is more than double what Rogers paid in the last 12-year agreement, which was signed in 2013.

This agreement will start at the end of the current one, which is in effect until the end of the 2025-26 season.

It only remains for the NHL owners to approve this agreement in the coming days.

This is good news for the NHL, which will have more money in its pockets. It’s also good news for general managers and players, who will certainly benefit from good increases in the salary cap due to increased revenue.

What we still don’t know is what this means for French-language television rights in Canada.

My colleague Maxime Truman has some theories that could be logical.

We should note that Sportsnet (Rogers) will retain the rights to NHL games, but those for games in French will be sold to RDS and/or TVA Sports (or maybe Amazon).

Truman believes it wouldn’t be crazy to see RDS retain the French regional rights to the Canadiens, but with fewer games than in the last agreement. He predicts a total of 50 games for RDS instead of the current 60.

As for TVA Sports, we have no idea what will happen. It would be surprising to see them continue at the same pace of games while paying double the price for the new agreement.

Maybe Amazon will enter the French-language scene. We know they already have the Canadian rights for Monday night games, but the broadcast is in English. Could a new French-language branch be considered at Amazon?

There are many questions to be asked, but we’ll have to wait a bit longer for answers.

Overtime

– We’re waiting for you, Jacob!

– Another Lane Hutson fan!

– He’s playing solid hockey.

– Wow.

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Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson are in the top-10 for assists in the NHL

Since the beginning of the season, Lane Hutson has been making headlines for good reasons.

Nick Suzuki also, by the way.

Both the Habs players are having good campaigns and they deserve to get attention. A lot of attention, even.

The captain is establishing himself as one of the best centers in the NHL and meanwhile, Hutson is doing the same at his defenseman position.

But it goes even further when we look at the best passers in the league. Why?

Because the two guys are in the top 10 (tied with Quinn Hughes, Sidney Crosby, and Martin Necas) for the most assists collected since the start of the season in the entire NHL.

And that’s not nothing:

(Credit: NHL.com)

I wonder what surprises me the most.

The fact that Lane Hutson is able to be among the best even though it’s his first season… Or the fact that Suzuki finds himself among the best while Juraj Slafkovsky took (a lot) of time to get started?

However, Suzuki and Hutson are having an extraordinary season and are – without any doubt – the two most useful players for the Habs this season.

They are one of the main reasons for the team’s success because when Suzuki and Hutson are on, they are capable of stealing a game by themselves.

The proof?

Suzuki (one goal and two assists) and Hutson (three assists) were excellent against the Panthers yesterday afternoon.

And it’s no coincidence that the Habs were able to beat one of the best teams in the National League…

What’s pleasant, in all of this, is that Suzuki (25 years old) and Hutson (21 years old) are still super young.

What I mean here is that the Habs will have the luxury of counting on two of the best playmakers in the NHL for several more years… and that’s excellent news.

Overtime

– When is it Jacob Fowler’s turn?

– I love it.

– Wow!

– Bravo for the gesture.

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Florian Xhekaj : “I want to be like Tom Wilson”

Florian Xhekaj’s first season as a professional is not going unnoticed.

We’ve talked about him several times this season on DLC because the little brother of Arber is perfecting his role with the Rocket.

He hits, he’s frustrating, he’s a pest… and on top of that, he scores goals.

Anthony Martineau met with him and TVA Sports published an article about the interview.

The article can be found by clicking on the link here.

But in the text, there’s one sentence in particular that caught my attention. It’s this one:

When I was little, my brother came to see me and told me: “you have to find an NHL player to inspire you. A guy you’d like to resemble”. I told him: “OK. I want to be like Tom Wilson!” – Florian Xhekaj

The little brother of Arber models his game around Tom Wilson’s and that’s the type of player he aspires to become eventually.

If he’s able to reach Wilson’s level – who is excellent today – … the habs will have a very good hockey player on their hands.

In fact, Tom Wilson and Florian Xhekaj are two players who share some similar characteristics.

They’re tall (both are 6’4″), they’re able to frustrate their opponents when needed because they enjoy their pest role, they’ve had success in their last year of junior… and they’re capable of scoring goals.

In his last season in the OHL, Wilson scored 23 goals and added 35 assists (58 points) in just 48 games. He also finished the season with 104 penalty minutes.

Xhekaj, on the other hand, collected 65 points (34 goals) in 63 games and also finished his last season in the OHL with 81 penalty minutes.

The difference is that Tom Wilson didn’t need to spend time in the American League before reaching the NHL. He quickly found his role with the Capitals and is now one of the most important players in Washington.

But I have a feeling it won’t be long before Xhekaj is able to do the same. He has the qualities of an NHL player and his more robust side makes him an intriguing player for the upcoming years.

It’s no wonder, after all, that he’s being talked about as a unicorn.

And at the rate he’s progressing… he could – like Wilson – have an important role fairly quickly with the Canadiens.

Overtime

– The SKA won today.

– And Roman Rotenberg had fun in the locker room.

– Oh no.

– Some news in the MLB:

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The Kapanen season is over in Sweden: the Habs must think about bringing him back to Montreal

Oliver Kapanen and his club (Timrå IK) were facing elimination today.

And they lost with a score of 1-0.

Result? The prospect’s season with the Canadiens is officially over in Sweden.

This means Kapanen is now eligible to join the Rocket… or the Canadiens. And at that level, maybe the Habs have a better interest in bringing him to Montreal because there is no depth right now.

After all, Martin St-Louis is not able to trust Joshua Roy. Michael Pezzetta seems to have surpassed him… and the Habs’ head coach cannot use Pezz for 10 minutes per game because he often hurts the team.

The Canadiens’ coach even tried to play with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen in Carolina, last Friday. It didn’t work since his team lost 4-1 and Arber Xhekaj played less than four minutes in the game.

Bringing back Oliver Kapanen for some reinforcement… maybe it wouldn’t hurt.

Kapanen played 12 games with the Canadiens at the beginning of the season before returning to Europe.

And if it was more difficult for him in the NHL, he found a way to impress in Sweden since he had a very good season.

He collected 35 points in 36 regular season games and added three in six playoff games, but he was able to progress because he played in any situation.

The Habs’ prospect played on the first line of his club and was used on special units because his coach, Olli Jokinen, was able to trust him.

That being said, I really think Kapanen could be useful on an energy line in Montreal.

At least, more than Joshua Roy or Michael Pezzetta… who are not able to make their place in the Habs’ lineup.

A combination of Armia – Kapanen – Kapanen, it seems I like it… and it would also allow Heineman to stay on the second unit to give him a chance to prove himself.

But if he comes to Montreal, Oliver Kapanen must do one important thing: bring his confidence with him.

He’s coming from a great season and he can take advantage of that momentum to be successful.

On the other hand… The Rocket would make a major addition to their lineup by having him in their ranks for the end of the season.

Already, the Rocket has a very good team on paper…

This is why the decision of the Canadiens’ management will be worth watching in the next hours or days.

Overtime

– I’m looking forward to seeing him progress.

– Hello, boys.

– Notice to interested parties:

– I like it.

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Elliotte Friedman and the Calder: “I don’t see how someone wouldn’t vote for Hutson”

Lane Hutson put on quite a show yesterday afternoon in Florida.

He accumulated three assists in the Canadiens’ win over the Panthers and was electrifying in the offensive zone. He now has 59 points this season and the more it goes, the more it makes sense to believe he has an edge in the Calder Trophy race.

In Jason Demers’ eyes, it’s clear: the trophy belongs to the Canadiens player.

Elliotte Friedman also agrees with this.

In the recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, he mentions that he doesn’t see how someone could not vote for Hutson, especially if the Canadiens make the playoffs.

It’s understandable: without Hutson, the Canadiens probably wouldn’t be in a playoff spot today, on March 31.

The defenseman plays a huge part in the team’s successes. And everyone knows it.

Because the Canadiens are in a playoff spot and Macklin Celebrini, Dustin Wolf, or even Matvei Michkov are not, Hutson seems to be the clear favorite right now.

Add to that the fact that he leads all rookies in points (59) as a defenseman… and that he’s been excellent since the beginning of March, when the Canadiens started playing more important games.

If the trophy were awarded today, it’s really hard to believe he wouldn’t win it.

Canadiens fans are lucky because it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a player like him in Montreal.

Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield are good, but… it seems like Lane Hutson has an extra something.

And he’s only 21 years old!

We’ve seen it since the beginning of the season: Hutson has what it takes to really establish himself as one of the best in his position. He has the work ethic – he hasn’t missed a single optional practice this season – for it to happen, and he has the talent for it to happen too.

All the better, then, if he’s able to win the Calder Trophy this season.

And even if Hutson gets edged out by Dustin Wolf (that’s the only scenario I can see), it won’t take away from his exceptional rookie season.

Overtime

– Speaking of Lane…

– Well done.

– Good answer!

– I have my doubts

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Sacha Boisvert wants to change universities: he could replace Ryan Leonard in Boston

At the moment, the Boston College Eagles are holding attention.

Now that the team is eliminated, the trio of stars (Ryan Leonard, Gabriel Perreault, and Jacob Fowler) is eligible to sign with Washington, New York, and Montreal.

In the case of Leonard, it’s official. In the case of Perreault, it’s imminent. And in the case of Fowler, it’s coming.

So, there will be big changes in Boston, which will undoubtedly lose three huge pieces. And who knows if James Hagens will make his place in the National League this fall…

We suspect that the university will not remain idle.

And at the moment, a name to watch is Sacha Boisvert. The Québécois has been linked to Boston’s formation by BC Hockey Blog, and Nicolas Cloutier retweeted it.

He has been linked to the Eagles and it’s possible because he has entered the NCAA transfer portal. At the moment, Boston College is the NCAA club that is making the most noise.

It is important to mention that the first to have spoken about the possibility of seeing Sacha Boisvert leave the University of North Dakota is Marc-Olivier Beaudoin. And he was right, apparently.

After his great year as a rookie in college, Boisvert will obviously have another challenge in 2025-2026. Did he not like his experience in North Dakota? Who knows.

Let’s recall that Boisvert was linked to the Canadiens during the last draft. He was finally chosen 18th overall by the Blackhawks, three places before Michael Hage.

Both players will be back in the NCAA next year, except that Hage will not change clubs.

Overtime

– A pass for Ivan Demidov.

– Is his return approaching?

– Yes, he’s Cale’s brother.

– Tough blow.

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Niko Mikkola: $5,000 fine for his actions against the Canadiens

Yesterday’s game had people talking about the Canadiens.

Why. Because Niko Mikkola, at the end of the game, made an unnecessary shot at the end of the game. He clearly had frustration in his body and he wanted to hurt people.

Here’s what happened. We see that David Savard was almost hit by the puck.

And now the league has decided to act. The player was fined $5,000, which is obviously the maximum allowed by the collective agreement, for unsportsmanlike conduct towards the Panthers player.

This has just been announced.

We can see that the NHL did not appreciate what happened and it’s the same for the Canadiens players, who let him know what they thought after the game.

The league’s response is a first step.

The second will take place tomorrow night. Because yes, as the two teams will face each other at the Bell Centre tomorrow, we should expect it to be intense and for the code to be applied. Let’s hope for many confrontations between two division rivals for that…

Arber Xhekaj is the perfect man to apply the code, we agree.

Overtime

– Brendan Gallagher’s sister is raising funds in honor of their mother.

– To read.

– Oh dear.